Qishan hosts international food and travel festival with Okinawa brands

The 2026 Qishan-Okinawa International Food and Travel Festival commenced at the Qishan Sports Stadium, featuring the theme “Mountain Town × Island.” The event serves as a cultural exchange platform, bringing together eight specialty brands from Okinawa with local businesses from Qishan and eastern Kaohsiung to create a “Taiwan-Japan Twin City Artisan Market.”

Highlights of the festival include exclusive collaborative dishes that combine Qishan’s local ingredients with Okinawan flavors. The event also features an “Okinawa Select Shop” offering island lifestyle goods, alongside musical performances including Tsugaru Shamisen and local indigenous music. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai attended the event to engage with Okinawan artisans and local vendors.

To extend the festival's reach into the local community, the Business Development Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs launched the “Golden Banana Good Times” stamp collection activity. This initiative connects 55 partner stores throughout the Qishan old street area, encouraging visitors to explore the local district through digital rewards and themed merchandise.